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Khosrow and Shirin or Shirin and Farhad , is a story of Persian origin which is found in the great epico-historical poems of Shahnameh that was based on a true story that was further romanticized by Persian poets.The story depicts the love of Sassanian Khosrow II towards his Christian princess, Shirin. Khosrow and Shirin recounts the story of King Khosrow’s courtship of Princess Shirin, and vanquishing of his love-rival, Farhad by sending him on an exile to Behistun mountain with the impossible task of carving stairs out of the cliff rocks.

Shirin eventually consents to marry Khosrow after several romantic and heroic episodes, including his rescue of her from a lion by killing the animal with his bare hands
The story relates a love affair that takes place in a historical setting: the deposition, imprisonment, and blinding of the Persian Sasanian king Hormoz (579-590 CE), during an insurrection led by two maternal uncles of prince ?osrow, designated to become king and probably party to the rebellion; the accession of Khosrow to his father’s throne (590 CE); the uprising of the army commander Bahram Chobin against the new king; and Khosrow’s flight to the Byzantine empire to seek help from the Ceaser, emperor Maurice (582-602 CE). These events, documented in the historical sources (Christensen, pp. 436-90), and narrated in detail in Ferdowsi’s Shahnama.
There are also many allusions to the legend scattered in the lyrical poetry of well-known Persian poets including Farrokhi, Qatran, Mas'ud-e Sa'd-e Salman, Othman Mokhtari, Naser Khusraw, Anwari and Sanai[1].. A brief reference by Ne?am-al-Molk, ca. 484-85/1091-92, mentions the legend as a well-known popular story (samar-i ma?ruf) and claims that ?osrow’s uxoriousness towards Širin emboldened her to desire Farhad rather than her royal spouse [2].

Khosrow Parviz discovers Shirin bathing in a poolAlthough the story was known before Nezami, it was brought to its greatest romantic height by him. Unlike Shahnameh which focuses on the history, kingship and battles of Khosrow Parivz, Nezami decided to focus on the romantic aspect of the story.

When the Iraqi Saljuq Toghril II requested a love epic from the poet without specifying the subject further, Nizami picked on the story of lovers Khusraw o Shirin, a theme set in his own region and based on at least partly historical facts, through an aura of legend already surrounded it.

Translation: The tale of Khusraw o Shirin is well known And by Truth, there is no sweeter story than it.

The story depicts the love of Sassanian Khosrow II towards his Christian princess, Shirin. Khosrow and Shirin recounts the story of King Khosrow’s courtship of Princess Shirin, and vanquishing of his love-rival, Farhad by sending him on an exile to Behistun mountain with the impossible task of carving stairs out of the cliff rocks.

Shirin eventually consents to marry Khosrow after several romantic and heroic episodes, including his rescue of her from a lion by killing the animal with his bare hands.

It is believed to be one of the better works of Nezami and his first wife Afaq died after it was completed. Many versions of Nezami's work have been retold. The story has a constant forward drive with exposition, challenge, mystery, crisis, climax, resolution, and finally, catastrophe

Besides Ferdowsi, Nezami poem was influenced Gorgani and his Vis o Ramin.[3] This is especially noticeable in the Khosrow and Shirin, which is of the same meter and imitates some scenes from Vis and Ramin. Nezami's concern with astrology also has a precedent in an elaborate astrological description of the night sky in Vis and Ramin. Nezami had a paramount influence on the romantic tradition, and Gorgani can be said to have initiated much of the distintive rhetoric and poetic atmosphere of this tradition, with the absence of the Sufi influences, which are seen in Nezami's epic poetry.